Manufacturing method of memory element, laser irradiation apparatus, and laser irradiation method

Abstract

A method for rapidly performing laser irradiation in a desired position as laser irradiation patterns are switched is proposed. A laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator is entered into a deflector, and a laser beam which has passed through the deflector is entered into a diffractive optical element to be diverged into a plurality of laser beams. Then, a photoresist formed over an insulating film is irradiated with the laser beam which is made to diverge into the plurality of laser beams, and the photoresist irradiated with the laser beam is developed so as to selectively etch the insulating film.

1. A laser irradiation apparatus comprising:
 a laser oscillator for emitting a laser beam; 
 a deflector for performing deflection of the laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator; 
 diffractive optical elements stacked to have a plurality of patterns for diverging a laser beam passed through the deflector into a plurality of laser beams; and 
 a transport stage for mounting an object which is irradiated with the plurality of laser beams. 
 
     
     
       2. The laser irradiation apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the deflector is an acousto-optic deflector or a galvanometer mirror. 
     
     
       3. The laser irradiation apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the diffractive optical elements is a transmission-type diffractive optical element or a reflection-type diffractive optical element. 
     
     
       4. The laser irradiation apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a computer for controlling the laser oscillator and the transport stage. 
     
     
       5. A laser irradiation apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of laser oscillators for emitting laser beams; 
 a plurality of deflectors for performing deflection of the laser beams each emitted from the plurality of laser oscillators; 
 a plurality of diffractive optical elements stacked to have a plurality of patterns for diverging each of laser beams passed through the plurality of deflectors into a plurality of laser beams; and 
 a transport stage for mounting an object which is irradiated with the plurality of laser beams. 
 
     
     
       6. The laser irradiation apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of deflectors is an acousto-optic deflector or a galvanometer mirror. 
     
     
       7. The laser irradiation apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of diffractive optical elements is a transmission-type diffractive optical element or a reflection-type diffractive optical element. 
     
     
       8. The laser irradiation apparatus according to  claim 5 , further comprising a computer for controlling the plurality of laser oscillators and the transport stage. 
     
     
       9. A laser irradiation method comprising:
 making a laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator to enter into a deflector; 
 making a laser beam passed through the deflector to enter into a first diffractive optical element or a second diffractive optical element by the deflector, wherein the first diffractive optical element and the second diffractive optical element have a different pattern each other; and 
 irradiating an object mounted on a transport stage with a plurality of laser beams passed through the first diffractive optical element or the second diffractive optical element. 
 
     
     
       10. The laser irradiation method according to  claim 9 , wherein the deflector is an acousto-optic deflector or a galvanometer mirror. 
     
     
       11. The laser irradiation method according to  claim 9 , wherein each of the first diffractive optical element and the second diffractive optical element is a transmission-type diffractive optical element or a reflection-type diffractive optical element. 
     
     
       12. The laser irradiation method according to  claim 9 , wherein the object is irradiated with the plurality of laser beams after passing through a projection lens. 
     
     
       13. A laser irradiation method comprising:
 making a laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator to enter into a deflector; 
 making a laser beam passed through the deflector to enter into one of diffractive optical elements to diverge into a plurality of laser beams by the deflector; and 
 irradiating an object mounted on a transport stage with the plurality of laser beams. 
 
     
     
       14. The laser irradiation method according to  claim 13 , wherein the deflector is an acousto-optic deflector or a galvanometer mirror. 
     
     
       15. The laser irradiation method according to  claim 13 , wherein each of the diffractive optical elements is a transmission-type diffractive optical element or a reflection-type diffractive optical element. 
     
     
       16. The laser irradiation method according to  claim 13 , wherein the object is irradiated with the plurality of laser beams after passing through a projection lens. 
     
     
       17. A laser irradiation method comprising:
 making each of laser beams emitted from a plurality of laser oscillators to enter into a plurality of different deflectors; 
 making each of laser beams passed through the plurality of different deflectors to enter into a plurality of different diffractive optical elements to diverge one of the laser beams into a plurality of laser beams by the plurality of different deflectors; and 
 irradiating an object mounted on a transport stage with the plurality of laser beams. 
 
     
     
       18. The laser irradiation method according to  claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of different deflectors is an acousto-optic deflector or a galvanometer mirror. 
     
     
       19. The laser irradiation method according to  claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of different diffractive optical elements is a transmission-type diffractive optical element or a reflection-type diffractive optical element. 
     
     
       20. The laser irradiation method according to  claim 17 , wherein the object is irradiated with the plurality of laser beams after passing through a projection lens.